Burglar prevention device



c. T. ATCHISON BURGLAR PREVENTION DEVICE July 24, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Spt. 22, 1959 DOA. m m m a 4 a .m m 5 m E w iy. A W 4. .l w w x W x x W M Q c E m w wk r E g.

C. T. ATCHISON BURGLAR PREVENTION DEVICE July 24, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 22, 1959 m v w W I w W w, w wM w (6 w L m! 1 W AME 2 l 9 L United States This invention relates generally to means for protecting banks and other business establishments from burglars by providing means for preventing the escape of a burglar and for holding himuntil the police arrive to complete the capture.

All banks and other business establishments are equipped with various alarm systems for immediately notifying the proper authorities when a burglary is: committed. However, these alarm systems are generally inefiective to notify the police in time to arrive at the scene of the crime and capture the criminal. In view of this, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a novel burglar protection system for preventing the burglar from escaping from the bank or business establishment.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a burglar protection system for utilization in combination with revolving doors often used in bank buildings. By providing an electric brake having a shaft secured to the spindle of the revolving door, a teller may energize the brake so as to prevent the revolving door from moving. If the brake is energized at the proper time, the burglar may be locked between a pair of radial door sections and an arcuate side wall. It is further contemplated that the door sections be bullet proof so as to prevent the burglar from shooting innocent parties in the proximity of the revolving door.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a burglar protection device wherein two arcuate side walls define -a passageway rotatably accommodating a revolving door therein. By mounting one of the arcuate walls so that it is pivotal, an innocent person entering the bank may escape through the pivotally mounted arcuate wall when the revolving door is locked from movement to prevent the escape of the burglar. A solenoid lock generally secures the pivotally mounted wall immediately adjacent to the revolving door. When the solenoid lock is released, spring means pivot the arcuate wall so as to allow an innocent party passing through the revolving door to enter the bank while the locked revolving door still retains the burglar therein.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a novel burglar protection system which is relatively inexpensive to install and utilize and which may save depositors innumerable dollars.

In order to facilitate the capture of the burglar and to prevent the burglar from harming bystanders or police when the police arrive to take the burglar away, tear gas or such may be let into the section of the revolving door accommodating the burglar for rendering him harmless upon emerging therefrom.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinaf-ter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the invention, partially in section and partially in elevation, and illustrated in dotted lines how one of the arcuate walls may pivot to allow a bystander to escape;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view particularly illustrating the pivotal mounting means seatet "ice curing the pivotally mounted arcuate wall to a vertical standard within the building;

FIGURE 4- is a fragmentary illustration of the electrical brake means which may be utilized in conjunction with the revolving door; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary elevational View of the solenoid lock means utilized to secure the arcuate wall immediately adjacent to the revolving door.

With continuing reference to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally represents the walls of a building, as a bank, which define an entrance way 12 leading into the bank proper. The inner building walls 14 extend perpendicular-ly to the outer walls 16 and are positioned on either side of the entrance way 12.

Vertical standards 16 are positioned within the bank spaced from the inner walls 14. The standards 16 have forwardly projecting extensions 18 secured thereto or integrally formed therewith. Numeral 20 generally represents the floor portion of the bank while numeral 22 designates a horizontal supporting surface secured as by bolts 24 to beams or such 26.

A revolving door is generally designated by the numeral 30 and includes a door frame 32 having radially extending door sections 34-, 36, 38 and 40. The door sections are joined along an axis 42. Each of the door sections may include a glass area 44 for allowing persons to observe therethrough. Upper and lower spindles 46 and 48, respectively, are secured to the revolving door 30 along the axis 42. The lower spindle 48 is rotatably received in bearing 50 carried by the floor portion 20. The upper spindle 46 extends through the bearing 52 and is secured to a shaft 54 of an electrical brake 56. In turn, the electrical brake may be secured between the horizontal supporting surface 22 and a floor portion or such 58 by bolts 60 and nuts 62. Electrical cables 64 supply electrical brake 56 with electrical energy. It is contemplated that the electrical brake 56 may be a Simplatrol or such, as disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,693,- 263. It is suggested that the glass sections 44 be formed of bulletproof glass.

A first vertically extending arcuate side Wall 64 extends between one of the standards 16 and the inner wall 14. A second arcuate wall 66 is disposed opposite to the arcuate wall 64 as illustrated in FIGURE 1. It will be noted that each of the arcuate walls 64 and 66 are positioned directly adjacent to the revolving door 30. The arcuate wall 66 is pivoted to the vertical standard 16 about hinge axis 70. It is contemplated that a pair of hinges 72 and 74 be utilized for properly mounting the arcuate wall 66. Each of the hinges 72 and 74 include a plate 76 secured to the arcuate wall 66 and a plate 78 secured to the extension 18 on the vertical standard 16. A pivot pin 80 receiving a nut 82 thereon passes through aligned apertures in the plates 76 and 78 to form the pivot axis 70. A coil spring 84 has terminal legs secured to each of the Plates 76 and 78. The spring 84 urges the arcuate wall 66 away from the inner wall 14 toward the dotted line position illustrated in FIGURE 1.

As a general rule, the arcuate wall 66 is secured adjacent the inner wall 14 by a solenoid lock 86. A solenoid coil is housed in a casing 88 secured to a depending flange 90. An armature 92 is concentrically positioned within the coil and normally is urged downwardly, a by a spring (not shown), and received within an aperture 94 in plate 96 secured to the arcuate wall 66. The terminal portion of the arcuate wall 66 is offset, as at 98, for properly bearing against the end surface of the inner wall 14. A conductor 100 is electrically connected to the solenoid coil within the casing 88.

In use, the revolving door 30 is supported for rotative movement on the spindles 46 and 48. The door sections 34, 36, 38, and 40 are supported by arms 41 secured to the bearing 52. Therefore, in the normal course of business, the revolving door 30 provides proper access to the bank through the entrance way 12. If a burglar attempts to rob the bank, when he is trying to escape, a teller or any other person may close switch 102 in order to energize the electric brake 56 to prevent rotative movement of the revolving door 32. A burglar then will be held within the segment defined by the door sections 38 and 40 and the arcuate wall 64. If by chance an innocent person were caught in the opposite segment, the switch 104 may be closed to energize the solenoid coil in casing 88, to raise the armature 92 so that the springs 84 will pivot the arcuate wall 66 about the pivot axis 70 to the dotted line position illustrated in FIGURE 1. Then, the innocent party may exit into the bank while the burglar is safely retained in a bullet-proof chamber.

In order to allow the police to remove the burglar with a minimum of trouble, an inlet may be provided for letting in tear gas or such to render the burglar harmless.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. Burglar protective means for banks or such comprising in combination with a building having walls defining an entrance way, a pair of opposed arcuate vertically extending walls disposed within said building defining a passageway therebetween in alignment with said entrance way, a door frame, said door frame including a plurality of radially extending door sections composed of bullet proof glass, said door sections secured to each other along a common axis, means for mounting said door frame for rotational movement about said axis Within said passageway, and electrical brake means including a first switch remotely located from the entrance way for selectively preventing said rotational movement, a horizontal supporting surface, a floor portion, said mounting mean including spindles journalled in bearing means for remotely connecting said door frame to said surface and floor portion and in alignment with said common axis, vertical members supported in said building spaced from said building walls, said arcuate walls extending between said members and said building walls, at least a portion of one of said arcuate walls comprising a door and being pivotally mounted on one of said members for pivotal movement thereabout and solenoid means connected to the door structure for locking said pivotally mounted arcuate wall portion to said building, electrical means including a second switch remote from said entrance way for energizing said solenoid for unlocking said pivotally mounted arcuate wall portion, both of said switches being in the same proximity whereby a bank employee can operate both switches at substantially the same time at a location remote from the entrance way, and means for urging said pivotally mounted door about said one member away from said building wall.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for pivoting said side wall includes springs normally urging said side wall away from said revolving door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 816,792 Green Apr, 3, 1906 1,952,393 Tigue Mar. 27, 1934 1,965,005 Schlachter July 3, 1934 1,965,030 Clark July 3, 1934 2,055,005 Dietman Sept. 22, 1936 2,523,980 Whiteford Sept. =26, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,329 Great Britain Apr. 1, 1899 M asa e 

